Comments

I remember a few years ago when I first read Ulysses in college, I became fascinated with that black panther for a while. And, in fact, I followed the exact same line of thought that you do and went to my Dictionary of Christian Lore and Legend and found that mythology of the panther; it just seemed so obvious that Joyce must be playing with Christian mythology even in such a minor detail. Assuming that's what Joyce had in mind, the question becomes, why? Why put a symbol for Christ in Haines' dream? Why not use a Pelican instead?

Mr. Delaney--I heard you on Public Radio recently. While I respect and admire your work, I must disagree with you about "Ulysses." I was forced to read that book twice in college and hated every page of it. I doubt if anyone truly enjoys it. They just don't want anyone else to think that can't understand it. If it is so great, why must you teach people to understand it? One thing's for sure, I will never suffer from reading a single sentence of it again.
Thanks,

I, too, have been asked, if it's so good, why must you teach people to understand it? My answer is: it's like physics or calculus or quantum mechanics. One needs a tutor to point out the beauty of the grand patterns. Unless you're Newton or Gell-Mann, of course... or Mr. Delaney.